AFB legislation
Safeguarding our
beekeeping industry
In New Zealand, AFB control is managed by beekeepers under the legislated instruction of the Biosecurity (National American Foulbrood Pest Management Plan) Order 1998 or the AFB NPMP. The Biosecurity Act 1993 gives effect to all National Pest Management Plans.
The AFB NPMP is funded by New Zealand beekeeper levies and provides powers to NZ Bee Health & Biosecurity to implement the AFB NPMP, in the interest of all New Zealand beekeepers, honey bees, and the health of the apiculture sector at home and in export markets abroad.
The Operational
Plan
The Operational Plan describes how The Management Agency (NZBB’s previous entity) implements the AFB NPMP to achieve its objectives. This includes the legal obligations of beekeepers to eliminate AFB from their hives, and our policies, procedures, and decision-making processes for monitoring and auditing beekeeper compliance and undertaking enforcement actions.
Note: this current Operational Plan is under review and once developed, it will be circulated to beekeepers for consultation & feedback.
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Read the Operational Plan EAST
Updates regarding
the AFB NPMP
Following an extensive consultation with beekeepers, The Management Agency (NZBB’s former entity) submitted a proposal to the Minister for Biosecurity to extend the AFB NPMP (Biosecurity Order 1998) for another 10 years. Throughout the consultation process, beekeeper ideas were used to form the changes that we proposed. The updated AFB NPMP is expected to come into effect in mid 2026.
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What the change means for beekeepers?
Find out more in the Findings Booklet EAST
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Industry announcement – AFB Management Agency to become New Zealand Bee Health & Biosecurity (NZBB)
Click here to find out more EAST
AFB NPMP
Change Programme
In 2024, we shared the AFB NPMP Change Programme with beekeepers. The programme objective is to accelerate the elimination of AFB from managed beehives in New Zealand by transforming beekeeper focus from ‘presence or absence of AFB’ to the ‘implementation of good AFB elimination practices’. Five key priorities have been identified and implementation is in progress, rolling out over several years as allowed by funding and responsible resource allocation.
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AFB NPMP Change Programme
Find out more EAST
Priority 1
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Objectives
Diversify and automate HiveHub functionality for the implementation of the new AFB NPMP.
Utilise HiveHub data for predicting disease trends, areas of AFB risk, and triaging elimination efforts.
Continually upgrade functionality and security so that beekeepers continue to trust HiveHub to be an easy, user-friendly, secure system that safeguards beekeeper data.
Priority 2
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Develop a training module focussed on best practice bee husbandry and ways to integrate AFB elimination as part of business as usual operations.
Provide education on NZ Bee Health & Biosecurity’s expectations for AFB management including clarity on decision-making for DECAs, and defining success measures for various sized operations.
Assist with developing scalable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for commercial beekeeping businesses.
Priority 3
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Ensure practices and procedures set out in the DECA are sufficient to eliminate AFB from all beehives owned by the beekeeper.
Provide clarity on NZBB’s decision-making process in relation to amending or cancelling a DECA.
Monitor the performance of DECA implementation by beekeepers through regular audits based on AFB risk factors.
Priority 4
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Provide easy access to resources that assist beekeepers with their legal obligations and AFB elimination efforts.
Clearly communicate NZBB’s functions and its goals, success measures, and success stories.
Identify champions in the industry who have successfully achieved AFB elimination.
Create a cultural sense of responsibility for the care for honeybees.
Priority 5
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Review operational expenditure and find areas of cost savings without compromising on AFB detection and elimination activities.
Continually conduct cost benefit analysis to identify areas of cost savings.
Focus resources on targeted inspections and investigate available surveillance tools.
The AFB NPMP
in action
Beekeepers are our nation’s defence against AFB. Our role is to support beekeepers in their fight against AFB through the implementation of the AFB NPMP. Here's how we do that.
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Suspect AFB laboratory tests
AFB website
Beekeeper Communication
AFB elimination communications and collateral
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Ongoing investment into HiveHub
Beekeeper registration / deregistration
Apiary registration / deregistration
Annual Disease Returns
Certificate of Inspections
Processing DECA applications
Supporting beekeepers with compliance and obligations
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Apiary Inspections
Surveillance of AFB hotspot
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Unregistered apiaries
Abandoned apiaries
COI default inspections
Follow up of non-compliance
Monitoring high risk beekeepers
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Audits
Bank fees
Legal fees
Insurance
Office expenses
Board expenses